Arizona bit her nails nervously, trying to cope with the overwhelming fear of what could happen to her friends. She hadn't done it since she was younger, but she couldn't help it. Arizona didn't stop until she felt a hand tap her shoulder, a hand belonging to the red-haired girl who originally hated Arizona's guts.

"Can we talk?" Beverly asked, and Arizona turned to follow her. They didn't have many places of privacy to talk, so the two sat in a corner of the front yard.

"Um, thank you for attempting to save me," Beverly started, peaking Arizona's interest in what the girl had to say.

"I know I haven't been the nicest to you, and you didn't have to do that. I can't figure out why, but thank you," she continued.

"Well, Losers gotta stick together. Also, you're the only other female in the group, so we especially have to have each other's back," Arizona smiled.

Beverly sighed and said, "I think I just hated you because you chose to be Henry's friend even though you knew he was a terrible guy. I thought you were better than that, but you chose him every time. Sorry for all that."

"He was all I had, the only constant thing in my fucked up life. I just couldn't seem to let go of that. It sounds stupid, but I needed him to feel normal. I'm sorry about how he treated you, I just didn't want to lose him," Arizona apologized and Beverly just hugged her. Arizona was a little shocked, but she hugged the girl back, thankful Beverly was finally accepting her as a friend.

"I know what it's like to have a fucked up home life, so you aren't alone in any of this, I promise." the redhead assured. Arizona thanked her quietly and the two began another conversation about something random until an earsplitting shriek sounded throughout the yard. The group all looked at each other in a panic before rushing inside the terrifying house.

As they approached the source of the screaming, which they soon recognized to be none other than Eddie Kaspbrak, they heard It's blood-chilling voice speaking.

"It was real enough for Georgie," It taunted before laughing a horrific laugh. Beverly picks up something off of the floor, a weapon, Arizona gathers.

When they ran into the room not even a moment later, It was charging at Richie and Eddie, and that's when Beverly stabbed It in the head.

"Nice," Arizona breathed.

It began to whine in pain, and the two girls, along with Richie an Bill, ran to Eddie as Mike, Ben, and Stan stood in the doorway. The screams of the Losers began to overlap as everyone became alarmed at the fact that they didn't have a plan. Arizona watched as It froze at the end of the room, before turning around and revealing It's mangled face.

"No no no, I don't want to fucking die!" Arizona cried.

It stepped towards them slowly before jumping at the terrified kids, causing all of them to scream and leap backwards. It laughed at their fear, before turning and slicing Ben's stomach.

"Ben!" Arizona yells, hoping it wasn't too deep.

The Losers continued to yell at one another, hoping someone would do something, anything, to make this madness stop. Arizona fell against the wall, sobs racking her entire body. She tried to stop it, but she just couldn't control it. Mike watched, helpless, as the girl sat terrified against the wall.

All of a sudden, It took one final look at them before retreating down the hallway, out of sight.

"Don't let him get away," Bill said, making his way to the doorway.

"Bill, you cannot chase It, help us," Arizona pleaded, but the boy ignored her pleas and continued to chase It. He came back a few moments later with a look of accomplishment on his face.

Eddie was screaming, and Arizona finally had a chance to look the asthmatic over and realize his arm was broken. The Losers all crowded around him, trying to see what they could do to ease the situation.

"I-I'm gonna snap your arm into place," Richie warned, trying to grab his best friend's broken arm.

"Do not fucking touch me! Do not touch me!" Eddie protested, trying to back away, but Richie grabbed his arm and did what he planned to do. A sickening crack echoed through the house, and Eddie's pained screams followed right after it.

Before they knew it, the Losers were speeding out of Neibolt and making their way to the Kaspbrak household.

-

The Losers stood in front of a seething Sonia Kaspbrak.

"You. You did this. You know how delicate he is," she accused before escorting her son to the car.

"W-we were attacked, M-M-Mrs. K," Bill tried to explain, but Eddie's mother wasn't hearing any of it.

"Don't! Don't try and blame anyone else," she raged before dropping her keys in front of Beverly.

"Let me help," the girl offers, attempting to bend down and pick up the keys.

"No back!" Mrs. Kaspbrak commands, picking them up herself and getting in Beverly's face.

"Oh I've heard of you Ms. Marsh. And I don't want a dirty girl like you touching my son," she sneers.

"Believing rumors is a childish thing to do Mrs. Kaspbrak," Arizona snaps.

Sonia Kaspbrak stares at the girl for a moment before asking, "How's your father," knowing it would hurt the girl. It worked. Arizona clenches her fists, preventing herself from punching Mrs. Kaspbrak right there.

"Mrs. K," Bill attempts to get her to listen to him, but she has her mind set on how she feels about Eddie's choice in friends.

"No! You are all monsters! All of you. And Eddie is done with you. Do you hear? Done!" she shouts before getting in her car and driving away, leaving the Losers standing in stunned silence in the middle of the street.

"I saw the well. W-w-we know where it is, a-and next time we'll be better prepared," Bill says to the group.

"No! No next time Bill! You're insane." Stan voiced with wide eyes.

"Why? We all know no one is going to do anything," Beverly exclaims, hoping to put the Losers on her side.

"You really have a death wish don't you," Arizona accused, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah! Eddie was nearly killed! And look at this motherfucker, he's leaking hamburger helper!" Richie yells in agreement.

"We can't pretend its gonna go away. Ben, you said it yourself! It comes back every twenty-seven years," Beverly remarked.

"Fine, I'll be forty and far away from here! I thought you said you wanted to get out of this town too," Ben retorts.

"Because I want to run towards something, not away," she snaps back.

"I'm sorry, who invited Molly Ringwald to the group," Richie deadpans, causing Beverly to flip him off.

"Richie," Stan cautioned.

"I'm just saying, let's face facts. Real world! Georgie is dead, stop trying to get us killed too," he shouts, making his way over to Bill.

"Richie, that's taking it a bit too far don't you think," Arizona warns, trying to diffuse the situation.

"You have no say in this, we don't even know if we can trust you Ari," he sneers, using the name Henry had for her. She took a step back and Mike protectively wrapped an arm around her. Richie rolled his eyes and turned back towards Bill, who seemed to ignore the words Richie said to Arizona.

"Georgie is not dead," Bill insists.

"You couldn't save him, but you can still save yourself," Richie continues, not realizing how much the situation has escalated. He didn't pick up on Bill's clenched fists and heavy breathing, which are signs that he is ready beat the shit out of the trashmouth in front of him.

"Guys stop it!" Arizona shouts, but her pleas aren't heard.

"No! T-t-take it back. You're scared and w-we all are, but take it back," Bill says before shoving Richie backwards. Richie stares at him for a moment before pushing Bill right back, causing Bill to punch the boy in a moment of anger.

Mike lets Arizona go and runs to Richie, holding him back as he yells "You're just a bunch of losers!" He struggles against Mike and Stan's grip and tells them to fuck off. Bill runs back at Richie and grabs his shirt before Ben pulls him back. Beverly and Arizona stand on opposite sides, watching the struggle happen.

"You're just a bunch of losers who are going to get yourselves killed because of a stupid clown," Richie continues, still fighting to get out of his friend's grips. Arizona can't stop herself from crying, watching as her friend group tears itself apart. She wants to fix it, but she doesn't know how.

"This is what It wants. It wants to divide us! We were all together when we hurt It, that's why we're still alive," Beverly rants.

"I'd like to stay alive if that's alright with you Bev," Arizona mumbles.

"What happened to having each others backs?" Beverly asked, and Arizona couldn't give her an answer so she lowered her head to look at her fett.

Richie said he wanted to stay alive as well, so he pushed past Bill and grabbed his bike. Stan and Ben did the same, and Mike started to follow them before Beverly called his name.

"Guys, I can't do this. My grandad was right, I'm an outsider. Gotta stay that way," he says before turning and grabbing his bike. He glanced at the bike belonging to Arizona and turned to look at her. Tears stained her face, yet she still looked as perfect as always, and Mike hoped shed go with him. Luckily, she didn't make the same mistake twice and she gave a sad smile to Bill and Beverly before joining Mike.

The two rode off together, leaving Bill and Beverly standing in the streets, alone.

-

word count: 1667

hi guys!! this was a longer chapter than normal, but hey at least you got a chapter for once. i know i've been saying im going to double update soon, but i decided i am going to double update near the end of the book (whenever that may be; not including the epilogue)

i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter,,,,,,,just know i didn't fully proofread it because its 1:08am and im very tired but i needed to finish this,,, i didn't realize how long it took me to write a chapter lmao

anyways i'll quit rambling <3